The ocean is often talked about as a source of inspiration, which has stirred the souls of artists for eons, but it seems that the magic of the desert is bringing a greater illumination to some deeply talented artists in the Phoenix area.

This week, two major albums were released and the package was created by two Phoenix artists, Rhonda Zayas and Oliver Hibert. What’s especially unique is that both designs were drawn by hand, a look that seems to come and go in the field of scrapbook design. Both albums privilege bright colors with messages of peace, love and friendship.

Alice Cooper’s annual Christmas Pudding album, designed by Rhonda Zayas, prominently features Cooper’s signature eyes, created from the piece’s negative space. Zayas creates the “typographic illustrations” of her with colored pencils on black paper, superimposing swirls of words to create intricate designs and messages that would make ‘Where’s Waldo?’ run for his money. The piece for the Alice Cooper album was a bit simpler in that it was created in the sense of commercial art, with the title prominent and legible, and Alice Cooper’s famous eyes enveloping it, to complete the story. Zayas has been designing the marketing pieces for Cooper’s “The Proof Is In The Pudding”. annual talent competition culminating in the extravaganza “Christmas Pudding” for many years now, and this album is by far the most in-depth cover, really taking their artwork back to the basics and to the truth, which often declares it as its ultimate goal. No computer gimmicks, it’s like his career has finally come full circle and back to the absolute basics of hand, pencil, and paper. realizing that what is right in front of you is what has been real all along. This summer, Zayas won five international design awards for high-end corporate packaging projects, so it’s no surprise that everything she touches is a true work of art. From his beginnings in animation and publishing, to trade shows, fashion, creative direction of entire tours, to award-winning Fortune 500 designs, though he walks the red carpet at The Grammy’s, his humble nature is refreshingly expressed in these drawings.

“With a Little Help from my Fwends” by The Flaming Lips, a track-by-track tribute to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album, featuring Miley Cyrus among other artists, album artwork was created by Scottsdale. artist Oliver Hibert. The colourful, psychedelic artwork brings a sense of fantasy and magic to the album, seamlessly blending the modern recording of a classic album into one complete package. Hibert’s work for this project was the absolutely perfect match, as his designs provide the visual message for the music which is a mix of weird sounds over pop and “weirdness” in general. Hibert’s pieces often take me back to the days when as a child I would sit in my father’s office and draw for hours with highlighters. His color palette is that of a multi-pack highlighter set that graces the sex in a very “Lisa Frank on acid” way. Hibert started his career young, and his strong and determined work ethic has taken his designs throughout the country gallery circuit, as well as being represented on products ranging from shoes to skateboards. His work is fun, but clever, a rarity in the age of on-demand. Another example of honesty in an often jaded trade.

It’s an interesting time in music, where industry standards have been changing so quickly and being defined by technology that they’re forced to bend in various directions, but there’s something real, basic, and going back to the true meaning of music for the public. pure love of music with these two albums released within weeks of each other. The album art speaks volumes, and perhaps the desert, with its painted sunsets and enigmatic mystique, is forcing the truth on these two artists, as only the strong survive and thrive in that caustic climate.